Connector clip



March 8, 1960 D. O. BROBERG, JR., ET AL CONNECTOR CLIP Filed May 2 4, 1956 P 25 --E r Fig '5 IN VEN TORS A By LESLIE M. FRUH DEWEY o. BROBERQJR.

United States Patent CONNECTOR CLIP Dewey 0. Broberg, Jr., and Leslie M. Fruli, Chicago, Ill. Application May 24, 1956, Serial No. 587,082 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-200 This invention relates in general to a detachable connector and in particular to a dual conductor connector clip adapted to be temporarily attached to a miniature gasoline internal combustion engine used in model airplanes or the like.

In starting a miniature model airplane gasoline engine it is necessary to temporarily connect a source of electrical current to the tip of the plug and to ground, the metal housing orany metal part of the engine.

The method presently in use for accomplishing this is to connect two conductors to a dry cell battery and employ alligator clips on the other end of each conductor. These clips, in turn, are individually applied, one to the tip of the plug which is very minute, relatively speaking, and the other clip to any protruding portion of the engine such as a fin or exhaust port or the like.

There are several serious disadvantages in the use of such clips. First, is the fact that they must be individually applied Second, is that they must be carefully applied; at least the one to the plug must be so that it will not be shorted out to ground. Third, is the inconvenience encountered in the removal of the clips as they must either be quickly ripped off by grasping the conductors and pulling, or if more care is exerted they must be individually removed while the engine is running. Fourth, if the starting clips are not carefully laid down when removed they will short out against one another and the battery will run down.

Keeping all these disadvantages in mind, in the design of our detachable connector the objects were:

First; to provide a connector to which both conductors of the battery were connected so application or removal of the connector would connect or disconnect both terminals at one time.

Second; to provide a connector which can be quickly and easily attached to the miniature engine with one hand and without the exercise of extreme care and precision manipulation.

Third; to provide a connector with one contact having a depression therein adapted to engage the plug tip and be well clear of the body of the plug so it will not short out.

Fourth; to provide a connector with a second contact having an angularly disposed tip adapted to engage one.

of the fins, the discharge port or any angular projection on the engine.

Fifth; to provide a connector which can be quickly detached with one hand from the engine after it is started and can be laid or dropped anywhere without danger of damaging the clip or shorting out the contacts thereof.

Other objects and advantages as well as the construction and operation of our invention will be apparent by reference to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of our invention as applied to a miniature gasoline engine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

2,928,067 Patented Mar. 8, 1960 Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the clip in wide open position before application to the engine.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the clip in the position it assumes when disengaged from the engine.

Fig. 5 is a bottom fragmentary detail view of one of the clips.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, 1 designates a miniature gasoline powered engine of standard design having fins 2, exhaust port 3, glow plug 4 with insulated tip 5.

The clip forming our invention, may comprise opposing clip body members 6 and 7, made of a suitable dielectric material and having jaw portions 8 and 9, and handle portions 10 and 11, with fulcrum points 12 and 13, the handle portions tapering as shown so the clips can be rocked on their fulcrums. A spring clip 14 normally urges the jaw portions toward each other.

Clip body 6 carries a contact 15 which may be secured at the notch 16 in the body by bent fingers 16. An angular extension 17 projects from the jaw 8 and may be provided with a recess 18 adjacent the end thereof. This recess is designed to fit over the insulated tip 5 of the plug 4.

.The other clip body 7 carries a contact 19 secured in notch 20 in the body by bent fingers 20' and having an angularly disposed extension 21 and a tip contact flange 22 angularly related to said extension 21. The purpose of notches 16 and 20 is to recess fingers 16' and 20' and thereby prevent short circuiting when the clip is removed from the engine. (See Fig. 4.)

Conductor 23 connects to contact 15 and conductor 24 connects to contact 19, the conductors terminating at a suitable source of current such as a dry cell battery or the like. (Not shown.)

In the application of this clip to the engine 1 which is grasped with one hand, the clip held in the other hand is opened by forcing the handle portions 10 and 11 together, resting the depression 18 of extension 17 on the insulated tip 5 of the glow plug and applying the tip contact flange 22 of extension 21 to a position adjacent one of the fins 2 or exhaust port 3 or any other projection on the engine. The pressure on the handle portions is released and the clip will now be firmly engaged on the engine. The operators hands are now free to make any other adjustments or manipulations necessary to complete the starting of the engine and as soon as the engine is started and running properly the handle portions are gripped, depressed and the starting connector removed. It may be disposed of in any suitable manner without danger of the contacts shorting out and depreciating the battery.

As shown in Fig. 5 the clip flange 22 may be V-shaped in configuration as shown at 25 to clear the engine screws 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided a connector which will be simple to apply to the glow plug tip and to one of the fins or any projection on the engine to start same, and after starting, to easily and quickly remove the connector.

It is obvious that changes in form, proportion and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention and we reserve all rights to such changes as come within the scope of these specifications and the claim which follow.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a starting clip adapted for rapid removal application to a glow plug located inwardly from the outer periphery of the finned cylinder of a model airplane engine, comprising a pair of yieldably related contacts insulated from each other, an electrical connection from a source of current to each of the contacts, a recessed 3 centering means on one contact adapted to engage the glow plug, a flange on the other contact receivable between a pair of fins and below the top of the engine cylinder, the second mentioned contact being offset and in substantially parallel relation to the first mentioned con- 5 tact when applied to the engine, and means vnormally urging the contacts toward eachother and urging the recessed centering means in centered position on the glow plug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,492,657 Walker .L May 6, 1924 1,685,847 Huntington Oct. 2, 1928 2,749,530 Skurow June 5, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 753,151 Great Britain July 18, 1956 936,469 France Feb. 16, 1948 

